Monday, August 20, 2012

Ryedale Show, Yorkshire July 31

Okay so I realise this post is way after the event but I feel the need to share it with you anyway. I love an agricultural show. There. I said it. I love how people bring their dogs and wander around looking at chickens being judged and sheepdog trials and cows and tractors. I love that it can be necessary to wear wellies. I love that local food producers are around to show off their produce.

Ryedale is a massive show. Apparently it's like the event for locals and given the traffic jam we got stuck in trying to get to the parking, I'm inclined to believe it. We wandered around vaguely for a while before finding the judging tent for small farm animals - chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks - where we got all excited about the different breeds and laughed as the judges let the runner ducks loose to judge them and then couldn't catch them again. (Runner ducks can run fast!)

After that we visited the produce/flowers tent and oohed and aaahed over the wheat ears, cut flowers, vegetable samples and cakes. I particularly like the men's cakes section.

Outside were the dog shows - so many different breeds on display including a Skye terrier (absolutely gorgeous but apparently not friendly to strangers) and Shetland sheepdogs. We were sadly too late for the sheepdog trials but we did get to see the tractor parade and we wandered around the cattle and sheep enclosures. All in all, a good day spent getting to know some of the countryside!